December 1, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
467 
NOTES FROM CHATSWORTH. 
A most enjoyable rifle is that from Sheffield to Chatsworth viS. 
. Edge, especially on a bright autumn morning. The distance 
■is fourteen miles. Leaving the smoky town behind, we soon begin to 
arrive at the residences of the wealthy manufacturers and pretty villas 
fi w ®; "‘ ce P^ lawns in front, most of them commanding a good view 
ox the l orkshire and Derbyshire hills. The fences for miles are built 
■loosely of stone, and present a peculiar appearance when seen from the 
summit of a hill. The roads, which are in capital condition, are only 
repaired during the winter at a time when the coach does not run. 
.Passing through the moorland belonging to Lord Fitzwilliam, the Duke 
ot itutland, &c., Froggate Edge is reached, and Surprise Valley, most 
appropriately named, for the traveller passes all at once among great 
rocks 14 feet or more in height, with Bracken growing luxuriantly on 
one side and open scenery on the other, with the winding river Derwent, 
where trout abounds under strict preservation. It would be almost 
impossible to exaggerate in a description of this delightful journey, and 
no wonder that the artist and lover of Nature make excursions to find 
shelter under the roof of clean cottages and farm houses along the 
iroute. ~ ® 
. Arriving at Baslow, and alighting at the Devonshire Arms, a ten' 
minutes walk brings us to the Chatsworth Park, and after a stroll 
through a portion of the same we reach Mr. Owen Thomas’s house, 
$ue w orthy superintendent of the celebrated gardens, which, under his 
guidance, I had recently the pleasure of inspecting. In the front of 
ius house, beyond a closely shaven lawn, is a charming rockery of Derby- 
shire stone, containing many choice alpine and herbaceous plants, 
backed up with Rhododendrons and other shrubs. The large house and 
summer home of Victoria Regia and other Lilies was just cleared and 
prepared to receive a grand collection of Chrysanthemums, which are, 
no doubt, making a fine display by this time. These and many other 
-softwooded plants are cultivated largely to come in during the winter 
time when the family is at Chatworth. Another house having a north 
aspect is utilised for retarding any plants that are likely to bloom too 
soon. Bouvardias, Eucharises, Pancratiums, Poinsettias, and Thyrsa- 
■canthus are grown in great quantities, as they are useful for cutting, 
and help to decorate the rooms and vestibules of the stately mansion. 
Amaryllises, too, are numerous, and are already making fine growth. 
A. Prince Albert has been flowering for some time. Several of the 
houses were enlivened with its showy blooms. 
The Pine stoves, Peach houses, vineries, &c., deserve much more than 
a mere passing notice did time permit. In four houses of Black Ham- 
burghs young rods were trained up last year, and each cane has pro¬ 
duced ten fine bunches, averaging 2 lbs. weight each, the berries being 
fine and well coloured. Muscats Holden Queen and Mrs. Pearson were 
exceptionally good. The earliest Peach trees had been started, and from 
these fruit will be gathered in April, Royal Ascot ripening about six 
*weeks before Princess of Wales. Many forcing houses are required for 
growing Kidney Beans, Strawberries, Tomatoes, pot Vines, &c. The 
Litchen garden is cropped in a most satisfactory manner, a large breadth 
of Snow’s Winter Broccoli being remarkably fine. 
The famous conservatory is situated some distance from the fruit 
houses and kitchen garden, being close to the historical mansion. On 
entering, some grand examples of Fern culture in baskets were con¬ 
spicuous. These were 5 feat or 6 feet across, and suspended they made 
a charming show, with the splendid specimens of Tree Ferns, Palms, &c. 
Musas are grouped together in various parts of the building, and 
represent twelve varieties, Musa Cavendishi fruiting freely. Begonia 
fuchsioides on pillars was in bloom and very effective, Dendrobium 
speciosum growing apparently wild, the roots clinging to the rockery as 
it might in its native home, Renanthera coccinea is also luxuriating in 
The same house. Although the place is nearly 70 feet high, the top of 
one of the Palms has forced its fronds through the roof. The pr< tty 
Hawthorn-scented Aponogeton distachyon was growing and blooming 
freely in a tank, and Nertera depressa clothed some of the tall Fern 
•stems. 
To go into a house devoted to Cape Heaths is now a rare treat, for 
Besides those grown for exhibition, few people afford them the space 
4hey once occupied, but at Chatsworth they have lost none of their 
prestige, as the large specimens and excellent condition of the plants 
amply testify. Several large houses are devoted to Orchids, and these alone 
are worth a long journey to see. In the Vanda house, growing in large 
'tubs of water, are two grand specimens of the Lattice Leaf (Ouvirandra 
fenestralis) with many long and broad leaves. Vanda ccerulea is well 
grown and flowering freely. This is one of the most handsome autumn 
lowering Orchids. The other species arc represented in very large 
plants well furnished with foliage to the base, V. Batemanni having 
■three strong growths. V. suavis, with the Chatsworth and Drumlanrig 
varieties, are very conspicuous. V. tricolor formosa and other forms, 
together with V. coerulescens, V. multiflora, V. Parishi, Y. insignis, 
V. Roxburgh]', and V. teres are thriving admirably. Among Angraacums, 
A. eburneum and A. sesquipedale were showing spikes of bloom. Cama- 
rrotis purpurea also shows that the treatment in moderate heat and 
.moisture suits it well, and the lovely Aerides vandarum too. 
The collection is strong in Coelogynes. C. Massangeana had be c n 
blooming some time, with spikes carrying twenty-two blooms each. 
C. cristata, with the Chatsworth and Trentham varieties, are enormous 
masses bristling with flower spikes ; they will be fine in a few months 
time. C. speciosa major is nearly always in flower. The Cypripediums 
are in quantity, but the most noticeable in bloom at the time was 
C. Spicerianum, one plant with longer foliage than the rest bearing 
much the largest flowers. Huge plants of C. Harrisianum and C. insigne 
Maulei were also in fine condition. Cymbidium Devonianum, C. ebur¬ 
neum, C. Lowianum, and C. Mastersi are well grown. The Dendrobium 
house contains some of the best and most showy species. D. Dalhousi- 
anum would be prized by some of the large exhibitors could they possess 
them in the same condition as they are at Chatsworth. The famous 
plant of D. nobile, which so many admired at the Orchid Conference, is 
divided into scores of smaller ones, but there is another of nearly the 
same size, which perhaps will be quite as gay in its turn. Many other 
species are at rest in a cooler house. Pleiones and deciduous Calanthes 
are a great feature. The latter, which include C. Veitchi and varieties 
of C. vestita, are grown in large pots or pans, with about two dozen 
pseudo-bulbs in each, and these will yield a supply of blooms till the 
end of January. Few Cattleyas or Laclias were in bloom, although all 
were showing plenty of sheaths. Ladia anceps varieties, with good 
plants of the rare L. a. Dawsoni and L. autumnalis will be among the 
first to open. Of Oncidiums, 0. Jonesianum, O. tigrinum, and 0. Rogersi 
were in bloom, and in another house, amongst healthy plants of Odontc- 
glossum Phalasnopsis and 0. vexillarium were some fine pieces of the 
autumn blooming form of the latter. Masdevallia amabilis, M. tova- 
rensis, and M. Veitchi were also assisting to make the house gay. All 
the cool Orchids receive the same amount of care and attention as the 
others, and it is almost impossible to find a sickly plant amongst them. 
Epidendrum vitellinum majus, Odontoglossum Alexandras, 0. Halli, 
0. Pescatorei and Rossi majus, with a host of others, are clean and 
healthy. Disa grandiflora is grown in a cool airy house. The plants 
are divided, and the strongest selected and potte 1 together. That the 
treatment is understood is proved by the fact of a single spike carrying 
eleven flowers this year. 
Phakenopses, Nepenthes, and Sarracenias ought not to be forgotten. 
Of the latter interesting plants S. purpurea is richly coloured, and 
measures over 2 feet across. This gives but the faintest idea of the 
treasures under Mr. Thomas's care, and to him I tender my best thanks 
for his kindness and the information afforded.—G-. W. CtJMMixs. 
GRAPES AT EAGLE HOUSE, DOWNHAM. 
A very large range of vineries, planted and under one man’s care 
for twenty-one years, is not a pleasant charge to take, especially when 
the proprietor remarks, “ the crop, bunches, and berries get less every 
year.” The first st p was in the springi(though late) to reduce the large 
Vine borders outside, in some cases cutting the borders in two, then 
working up carefully towards the roots with a fork, at about 3 or 4 feet 
from the stems, the roots were laid in, having new compost ready for 
use. Thomson’s Vine manure was also largely used for top-dressing 
then, and again during the summer, with the result that there has been 
a better crop, larger bunches, and better berries for some years. The 
laterals are stronger, foliage very fair for size and stoutness, but in 
the late house especially more fire was wanted, now remedied for 
another season by adding two additional row s of pipes. The early Black 
Hamburgh, Buckland Sweetwater, and Muscadine were very good, but 
as it is with the present hanging crop I have to deal I will commence 
at once. 
Black Hamburgh, Mrs. Pince, and Lady Downe’s are grown in a 
long lean-to for late work. As all well know, no matter how good the 
first-named is, there is a falling off in appearance by hanging. Mrs. 
Pince was very well coloured, the bunches small, but a full crop and 
with fair sized berries. 
Lady Downe’s, however, I will describe rather fully. First of all 
the foliage shows too much “ cold green,” not natural autumn tints for 
this advanced period of the year, and according to the blackness of the 
Grapes the foliage should be well coloured. Foliage as it falls, 
though dead round the edges is, if even yellow, not a natural tint, show¬ 
ing very plainly the want of fire, especially in the autumn. Then I 
take it that the evils arising from this affect the wood not only for this 
present crop, but also for the next, though to a certain extent the next 
year’s crop may be benefited by proper cultivation. Also, no doubt, 
last year’s treatment told its tale on the ‘present crop. Now this is 
what I am driving at, a good, not heavy crop of Lady Downe’s, with 
the best berries I have yet seen this year, standing thus—this, too, with 
fertilising—sound berry, large, three stones, same size berry on same 
bunch, shrivelled, three stones. Smaller berry with two stones of both 
kinds, at once telling me that however desirable it is to obtain the full 
complement of stones, these stones will not keep berries from shrivel¬ 
ling. I must say the stones in both kinds of berres were in each case 
perfect. I have requested Mr. Strong to forward for your inspection 
a sample of Lady Downe’s. 
Of course I attribute this premature shrivelling to want of heat 
in the last stages of colouring, especially cold low temperature after a 
hot bright day. Mrs. Pince stands about the same, and in this as in 
Black Hamburgh I found any, or very few, four-seeded Grapes. 
Muscats are now the best I have seen this year, a good crop also, the 
majority will keep. Here I find in the largest berries three stones, and 
what is particularly vexing to me is the same number and as good stones 
in a shrivelled berry. I can assign no cause for this at present. I 
must, however, say only a few shrivelled berries are present, nor do they 
look like going worse ; plenty of fire was used here. I saw a splendid 
red of Duke of Buccleuch fit for bearing, but being in an outside 
